Second Application – Stop Bengeo Quarry

Landscape Officer Expresses Concerns

3 January 2018 By Admin Comment Closed

The County Council's Landscape Officer has expressed concerns about access to the quarry site and the negative effects on Bengeo Field. Whilst not opposing the planning application in principle, The Officer states: "... there is concern for the permanent negative landscape and visual effects as a result of the proposed access and haul route that lies outside the preferred area and requires further mitigation." The report also raises concerns about restoration and a lack of detail in the planning application. » Click here to read the Landscape Report...

District Council Withdraw Objection

2 December 20172 December 2017 By Admin Comment Closed

East Herts District Council have written to the County Council withdrawing their earlier objection against the Bengeo quarry. In their new letter they comment: "East Herts Council has no objections in principle to the proposed extraction, and in respect of the associated temporary built structures considers that the benefits of extraction and subsequent housing delivery would represent very special circumstances that would clearly outweigh the harm." AND "Whilst it is acknowledged that the proposed office buildings, bunds, and associated equipment would fail to preserve the openness of the Green Belt, and therefore represent inappropriate development, these are only temporary structures." However, the letter goes on to raise some concerns about the application: "In respect of the detail of the proposed scheme, the Council does have some concern, as mentioned previously, that the site is of an open aspect in an elevated position, publicly accessible, and in the immediate surroundings of Hertford and links to Bengeo and other villages and is less contained...

Bengeo Field Usage Survey

2 December 20172 December 2017 By Admin Comment Closed

We are carrying out an updated survey about Bengeo Field is used by the public. Please can you respond to this very short questionnaire on Surveymonkey & share with everyone you know in Hertford & surrounding areas. If we want to influence the decision about the future of Bengeo Field, we need to provide the results of the survey before Christmas. » Follow this link to fill out the survey...

Campaign Report

25 November 201725 November 2017 By Admin Comment Closed

The new quarry application is due to be considered by Hertfordshire County Council Development Control Committee on 25th January 2018 at 10am at County Hall (as before in March). Stop Bengeo Quarry (SBQ) invite the attendance of all local residents to demonstrate to members of the deciding Committee the strength of local opposition against the new plan. County Councillor Andrew Stevenson commented: “The strength of community feeling about the quarry applications is illustrated by the huge support the SBQ campaign has received. SBQ has been very organised, exploring every facet of the issues, and this is important. A quarry this close to an urban area is simply unacceptable. I fully support SBQ and will continue to work with them in my capacity as County Councillor to oppose these applications. I urge everyone who has not already done so to email your views to the County Council and the Planning Inspector.” The case is currently being considered by the HCC Planning Officer and relevant...

CPRE Continue To Oppose

18 November 201718 November 2017 By Admin Comment Closed

The Campaign to Protect Rural England has written to the County Council restating their concerns about the potential quarry north of Bengeo. In their letter to planning officer Felicity Hart, they say: "we still have a number of concerns about the proposals and our previous letters are still relevant". They also refer to uncertainty regarding land to the south of the site and the current Minerals Plan review. » Read the CPRE letter here...

Sign Our New Petition

9 November 201715 February 2018 By Admin Comment Closed

What's next for the Stop Bengeo Quarry Campaign? Please sign the petition against the new quarry application just on the edge of Hertford If you missed the 2nd November deadline you can still send your email to Felicity Hart at the County Council. We have 2 weeks' extension and every email really counts. The new application is likely to be considered by HCC Development Control Committee on 20 Dec, if not in early 2018. And the public hearing into the appeal is scheduled for 1-4 May 2018. Thank you for being so amazing, responsive, supportive and proactive. None of this would have happened without every single person who helped with the SBQ campaign. Thank you! » Sign the petition » Send email to Felicity Hart at HCC ...

Molewood Residents Association Respond

5 November 20175 November 2017 By Admin Comment Closed

The Molewood Residents Association has written to the County Council to express concerns about the proposed quarrying of gravel north of Bengeo. In their letter they highlight the community value of the site, proximity of homes, environmental issues and road safety. » Read the Molewood Residents Association letter here...

Civic Society Urge Refusal

2 November 20175 November 2017 By Admin Comment Closed

Hertford Civic Society have written to the County Council urging them to refuse planning permission for a quarry north of Bengeo. Their four-page letter acknowledges the need for gravel extraction but raises a number of issues about the suitability of the Bengeo location, including the impact on the local environment; noise, traffic and dust nuisance, lack of a detailed restoration plan, and the changes included in the current Minerals Plan Review, which removes the Bengeo field from the list of Preferred Sites. A second planning application was submitted after the first application was refused earlier in the year. The original plans is also the subject of an appeal to the Planning Inspectorate against the County Council's decision. » Read the Civic Society's letter here...

District Council Formally Objects to Quarry

29 October 201729 October 2017 By Admin Comment Closed

East Herts District Council has formally objected to the second planning application for a quarry north of Bengeo. In a letter to Hertfordshire County Council, the authority's planning officer Susie Defoe writes: "... the proposed office buildings, bunds and associated equipment would adversely impact the openness of the Green Belt and therefore would not constitute appropriate development". The letter also refers to damage caused by the "invasive" proposals and the the lack of detailed restoration plans. In concluding, the District Council's letter states: "East Herts Council objects in principle to the development and is not satisfied that the previous reasons for refusal have been properly addressed satisfactorily". » Click here to read the District Council's full response...

Mark Prisk MP Reiterates Support

17 October 201719 October 2017 By Admin Comment Closed

Hertford & Stortford MP Mark Prisk has reiterated his support for the Stop Bengeo Quarry campaign. Writing on his Facebook page he says: "It's very disappointing to see another attempt to force a quarry onto the community at Bengeo. The case against remains clear - it would be bad for air quality, bad for traffic and bad for water quality. All of us made this clear last time, and like other members of the community I remain opposed to this application, just as I did the last."...